-
Comparing Master Codecs. UT and DNxHD
Now that I’m in PC land I decided to explore alternative codecs. I was interested to see variances in render times and file size.
I took the “Dancin Footloose” project and exported it first as UT (AVI) then DNxHD (QT). They took about the same time to export (6:30 for an effects heavy 3:09 timeline). The UT file was 7GB and the DNxHD was 3GB. Close inspection revealed no discernible difference.
Somehow I thought getting away from Quicktime wrapped codecs would speed things up. This was not the case in this test.
Tom Daigon
PrP / After Effects Editor
http://www.hdshotsandcuts.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRIg6h-LIm0
HP Z820 Dual 2687
64GB ram
Dulce DQg2 16TB raid -
4 Replies
-
I don’t think the 32bit limitation is going to slow down DNxHD encoding all that much. Remember, the only problem with 32bit is the amount of RAM it can access. So as long as it can do the encode efficiently with only 4GB of RAM (which, because the system is 64bit, it can have that 4GB all to itself, unlike a 32bit computer where it would be 4GB for the entire system) then you won’t see a speed reduction. Remember, Premiere is handeling the rendering in a 64bit process, then handing the completed frames to Quicktime to encode into DNxHD.
If you want to really test this, try exporting the same timeline to H.264 in a Quicktime and H.264 straight. (.mp4)
H.264 is a much more intense codec, and you can do a direct apples to apples comparison between the Quicktime engine and Adobe’s.
-
Good idea but a moot point. I would never master to h.264. AVCIntra has been also mentioned as an alternative to QT or AVI wrapped codecs by someone who I have great respect for. I will explore that possibility.
Tom Daigon
PrP / After Effects Editor
http://www.hdshotsandcuts.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRIg6h-LIm0
HP Z820 Dual 2687
64GB ram
Dulce DQg2 16TB raid -
[John-Michael Seng-Wheeler] “I don’t think the 32bit limitation is going to slow down DNxHD encoding all that much. Remember, the only problem with 32bit is the amount of RAM it can access. So as long as it can do the encode efficiently with only 4GB of RAM (which, because the system is 64bit, it can have that 4GB all to itself, unlike a 32bit computer where it would be 4GB for the entire system) then you won’t see a speed reduction. Remember, Premiere is handeling the rendering in a 64bit process, then handing the completed frames to Quicktime to encode into DNxHD.”
That’s where the slow-down comes from. Premiere, a 64-bit process, cannot interface with the 32-bit QuickTime libraries directly. Adobe runs a 32-bit helper application and communicates with it from Pr/Ae via the network stack, using TCP/IP to pass frames and control data back and forth.
If Premiere Pro’s renderer is synchronous (as I believe Ae’s renderer is), then rendering the next frame cannot begin until the prior frame has been written. This might be worth testing.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
AVCIntra is not the answer. It does not generate just one file, but separate audio and video with a plethora of folders. And I did not find a readily accessible player for viewing the resulting MXF files. I guess I will stick with DNxHD until something better comes along, despite the slower export.
Tom Daigon
PrP / After Effects Editor
http://www.hdshotsandcuts.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRIg6h-LIm0
HP Z820 Dual 2687
64GB ram
Dulce DQg2 16TB raid
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up